The FSA report said: “It was apparent during the visit that the level of food hygiene awareness demonstrated by food handlers working in your business was inadequate.

“The general standard of cleanliness and/or repair of the premises were not satisfactory.”

Inspectors found:

A lack of disinfection of high-risk contact equipment and surfaces presenting a risk of contamination. A wooden chair used to hold scales was in a poor state of repair and dirty;

A lack of thorough and routine cleaning, disinfection and maintenance to the premises and equipment, exposing food to the risk of contamination; wall floor junctions and underneath units which were not clean;

Damaged plastic containers which provided a possible risk of physical contamination to food.

“Major improvement” is needed in the management of food safety, the FSA added, while improvements are necessary in hygienic food handling and the cleanliness and condition of the facilities and building.

Owner Rafiq Ali told The Gazette at the time that he thought the incident was a stunt set up to sabotage his business - and claimed pest control officers had told him the mouse was too tame to have been a wild animal.

On that occasion, Middlesbrough Council confirmed there were no hygiene issues at the restaurant and it reopened the following day with a clean bill of health.